The Last Illness, Death, and Burial of the late David Denham, WHO is there in all England, (that loves of the truth as it is in Christ. Well, David Denham is no more a trayeller in this vale of tears. His work is done-his course is finished he is gone to be with Christ, which is far better. In the month of November last, he was called to visit Yeovil, in Somersetshire; and was taken in the providence of God, to that place, where he preached for two or three Lord's Days; when, suddenly, as we say, having entered the pulpit once more one Lord's Day morning, and being about to proceed with the service he was gently arrested by a cold yet powerful messenger, which silently bid him lay down his commission, and come home to the mansion prepared for him above. The following letters will more fully describe this striking event. "DEAR BROTHER-I have to record to you a most solemn and affecting scene, which came under my notice on the last Lord'sday. You are aware that dear Denham has been supplying at Yeovil this month. Last Sabbath morning I was at Yeovil to hear him; I got to the chapel just as Mr. Denham stood up to attempt to read a portion of the Word of God; but, O, the solemnity of the scene! not a sentence could the dear man express, so as to be heard; he asked one of the people to read for him, which being done, they asked him to engage in prayer; but he could not; so after prayer and singing was over, he got up to address the people, which he did in few words, to this effect, as far as I could hear, for it was with difficulty I could catch the sentences; indeed, many of them I could not hear at all. He said, 'O the amazing and overwhelming love of Christ! it is astonishing; I feel to this very hour I am completely wrapped up in it. God grant us broken and contrite hearts: these are the only things will stand in the time of trial!' he concluded with, the Lord be with you, and bless you; and to the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost, be all the praise. Amen.' A friend then helped him out of the pulpit, and down the chapel, to go home. He halted opposite the seat I was sitting in, when such a feeling of love and union came into my soul to him as I never felt before. How Sherborne, Nov. 28, 1848. "DEAR SIR-I feel an impulsive constraint ing Mr. Denham, and his 'labours of love' on my poor mind to drop you a line respecthere and at Sherborne. Hoping, expecting, and believing to hear the Master's voice, through the instrumentality of his dear and honored servant, I accompanied him to the Tabernacle. pain in his head, and a very great heaviHe complained of a bad ness in eyes. We had oft heard these complaints whilst he was amongst us, and as he ing as he passed along on different subjects, seemed quite collected in his mind, conversdoor way, and passing through the aisle, and shaking hands with friends at the no notice was taken of it. He stood up to read, we think a Psalm, when his voice was much more muffled, indeed so much so, that one word after the other could not be understood: finding his attempt was fruitless, the dear man leaned on his Bible, and then sat down. One or two of the friends then went up to the pulpit, and finding he was unable to proceed, a friend read a chapter; another friend at the close of the chapter again went up, and suggested the propriety of some person engaging in prayer, and he, Mr. Denham, leaving the pulpit: he nodded consent to the first proposal, but when requested to leave the pulpit, (as it was thought he could not preach) he said, well, I'll try.' The prayer being over, and an hymn sung, he stood up, opened the Bible, gave out no text, but spoke as far as his muffled and faltering voice could be understood. His soul seemed to be as full as he could hold-all the faculties seemed to be absorbed in the blessedness of divine realities expressions such as these, How blessed to be brought to see the perfections of Jehovah harmonizing in the salvation of a sinner, and the Father embracing him through the perfections, blood and righteousness of Jesus!" His eyes were lifted up from time to time, as if he really felt the whole blessedness of the subject in his own soul, which no doubt he did. He spoke for a few minutes, pronounced the benediction in the apostolic language in quite an intelligent way and manner, and was then conducted home by the friends. Medical aid was immediately procured. It was a most solemn scene indeed; our expectations were not realized; but we evidently saw the noble and generous soul of our dear brother struggling to exalt, to hold forth, and to speak well of his divine Lord and Master, and the feeble clay tabernacle every moment as it were giving way. Respecting his visit to Yeovil; a few of the Lord's dear D 22 THE LATE MR. D. DENHAM. family had not forgotten his visit in 1822, | nected with the funeral of our departed neither the savor of his ministry amongst brother. I was invited to attend, and take them. All was expectancy and hope, nor a part in the services, and was therefore an have their expectation or hope been dis-eye and ear witness of the whole; and beappointed, the Lord hath given him a door cause of the respect and christian love enof utterance, and opened a door of entrance tertained towards our friend by so many in the hearts of the Lord's people, and we of the Lord's people in this land, I will have had abundant reason to be thankful. here put down a record of the same. And His labours of love amongst us have been may the good Lord solemnise and comfort indeed' labours of love the honest, straight-their hearts hereby. My heart was most forward, God-honoring way, in which he deeply solemnised, as I stood leaning against was helped to speak-the love and affection the black coffin in which the earthly taberthat he evinced towards all that 'love the nacle was deposited. There were gathered Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity,' was not together some of the friends and relatives only talked of in the pulpit, but carried of the deceased; and as I stood in the midst forth in every action of his life and con- of them, this word came to me with much versation; and his very soul was knit to all sweetness-" There is a rest that remaineth and every one of those who love the Lord for the people of God." I did indeed feel Jesus in sincerity and in truth. On one the preciousness of that word to my soul; occasion he said, 'I feel more the importance it caused me to weep tears of silent joy and of speaking honestly and faithfully at the gratitude to the God of all my mercies. Oh, present moment (which I cannot account (I thought,) what a wilderness is this! for) than I have felt on my mind ever since What a world of sin and sorrow, labour I spoke in my Master's name.' Your's in and toil, it has been to me, and to my dear love, JOSEPH HAMMOND." departed brother! He has entered into Yeovil, Sunday, Dec. 3, 1848. rest; but we that are still in this taberWe are justified in saying that the nacle do groan, being burdened. friends at Yeovil were exceedingly kind to him. On one occasion, while Mr. Milborne was sitting by his side-he awoke up and said "My soul thirsts for God, yea, for Christ is precious to me; the living God.' exceedingly precious. His mercies are great." 66 THE DEATH. By the receipt of the following notes I learned the solemn fact that the redeemed soul of DAVID DENHAM had been caught up into Paradise, to join the everlasting anthem of praise, to gaze upon the glorious Person of our redeeming God-and to hold pure fellowship and holy communion with the justified spirits above. "VERY DEAR SIR-It is now my painful duty to inform you of the removal of our dear friend Mr. Denham. He was quite unconscious of every thing about him the whole of yesterday, and died this morning between 9 and 10 o'clock. Your's truly, "JOSEPH HAMMOND. "Yeovil, Dec. 8, 1848," "DEAR BROTHER BANKS My dear Father entered into rest yesterday morning without a struggle or a groan. He now enjoys fellowship with that Christ he has so often preached. His end was peace. The world will no more annoy him--he feedeth on the bread of life and living waters. His last sermon was much blessed, and by many can never be forgotten. My dear Mother is as well as can be expected. Pray for us, dear sir. Your's, very sincerely, "Dec. 9, 1848." 66 JOSIAH E. DENHAM. Presently the corpse was removed to the hearse; we were summoned to take our places in the mourning coaches, and the procession moved on to the chapel in Tooley Street. The coffin covered with a black pall was laid on the table in front of the pulpit; as soon as we were seated, the venerable John Andrew Jones, (standing on the pulpit stairs) commenced the service, by giving out, in the most expressive manner, the 992nd hymn in the Saints' Melody, "What is it for a saint to die," &c. The emphatic manner in which this sacred hymn was read and sung had an overpowering effect on the congregation. Many were bathed in tears. Mr. Milner then read two portions of the Word of God, and prayed in a devout, solemn, and suitable manner. Mr. Felton gave out three verses of another hymn; after which Mr. Bonner addressed the people at considerable length; and there was in that address, a vast body of wholesome and valuable matter, well-befitting the occasion. At the close of this address, Mr. Bidder gave out part of a hymn, Mr. G. Wyard concluded in prayer; and the mournful cortege, consisting of a four-horse hearse, and a number of ministers and friends in several mourning coaches, then moved on to Bunhill Fields Cemetery, in the City Road. The streets on either side of the procession were lined with persons anxious to witness the interment of this devoted servant of God; among them I saw many, to whom his ministry had been a very especial blessing, and who were attired in black. Immediately after our arrival at the ground, the coffin was carefully laid in a large brick vault on the left-hand corner of Bunhill Fields. Mr. James Smith (of Park Street) gave out a hymn; I then read a part of the fourteenth chapter of Revelations, and called on the THE LATE MR. D. DENHAM. 23 name of the Lord: Mr. Bowes (of Blandford | they rejoice and sing as in the days of their Street) addressed the people: Mr. Bidder youth." gave out several verses of a hymn which was a great favorite of Mr. Denham's, and it was the last hymn the deceased gave out on earth; 344th in Saints' Melody: MR. DENHAM'S EARLY DAYS. DEAR FRIEND,-I sit down to write what I know of my dear departed brother Denham :-I became acquainted with him in the year 1815, at Bath. He succeeded Mr. Robins, who afterwards preached in Conway Street, London. He came from Reading to Bath for one month, as a supply; the chapel filled; they gave him a call for twelve months. His ministry was much blessed; sinners were called, saints edified, backsliders restored; comparatively the little one became a thousand; numbers (to my knowledge) will bless God through all eternity for his ministry: among them was my dear partner in life, whose funeral sermon he preached at Shouldam Street, on the 18th of January, 1846, when God blessed it to very many souls. After he had remained at Bath nine months, the managers said he was not sent of God, because so many came after him, and they began to persecute him, saying, 'How could a boy like him have experience of those things he preached?' Just at this time he lost his much beloved wife, who left him with two children. His circumstances were very distressing; but the Lord sustained him. I opened a place for him at Bristol; numbers flocked as doves to the windows, and much good was done by 'the holy child Jesus.' Mr. Horne came from London to Bristol for a month, and brother Denham went to London to supply for him. The success of his ministry in London I give you, briefly, in his own words, in a letter I have by me. He says, "I feel assured that my journey to London is of God. The Lord has been with us of a truth, and his holy arm has been made bare, in feeding, strengthening, clothing, and comforting his people. Communion with him has been enjoyed; answers from him have been received; many sweet promises applied; and such draughts of everlasting love have flowed into the hearts of some, That When he returned from London to Bath, after he had preached on the Thursday evening, the church proposed his going out upon a begging case to Taunton, Exeter, and Plymouth, to which he agreed, under a persuasion that he should be able to preach where he had not opened his commission before. In this begging route he was very successful. The following is part of a letter to me from Plymouth : "June 24, 1816. Think of Jesus who gave himself that he might redeem his church from all iniquity. Think of God the Holy Ghost who engages in the same covenant to teach of his love and fulness, and unfold them to such worms as we are. This love cheers the troubled soul in life, supports in death, and it will be this all the bloodbought family will be feasting on throughout that long, sweet, dear, blessed, neverending day-eternity. This love I preach wherever I go; and through preaching this soul-animating subject, (to the honour of your God and my God I speak it,) many precious souls in this town of Plymouth have been set at liberty from the shackles of free-will; from the terrors of death and damnation; and as Christ must needs go through Samaria, so I believe I must needs go to Plymouth. I have preached between twenty and thirty sermons; and such is the revival in Plymouth that the friends compare it to a second Pentecost. I never preached where the power of God was so manifested. I preach every night in the week, even Saturday night at Plymouth Dock; the congregations are upwards of twelve hundred people; on the Sabbath afternoon about five and twenty hundred, a sight I never before saw ; and the power of God was with us. Last evening it was as though all Plymouth were determined to hear this wonderful antinomian. I went towards the chapel twenty minutes before six ; to my astonishment I could not get down the street for the vast multitude of people ; at last, with very great difficulty I got into the gallery. The windows were all taken down; and from the seat of the middle window I preached to the street and chapel full of people from end to end; and the chapel was so crowded it was considered dangerous; and the people heard distinctly in all directions. This evening I am to preach in a field; and on Friday next to lay the foundation stone of a new chapel. I shall return to Bath next week. Pray for me; for all the parsons are shooting at me, yet my blessed Captain is my shield from every dart." After his return to Bath, he preached one or two Sabbaths. He preached his farewell sermon to many an aching heart; such an 24 THE LATE MR. D. DENHAM. heart-rending scene I never saw. After this he went again to London, and preached at Mr. Horne's, Wood Street, Cheapside, and at several other places. The people at Willow Street engaged Mr. Denham to supply, which he did. The place soon became too straight for them, and they had it enlarged. He laboured there until May, 1817. He writes as follows: "Dear Friends,-After one of the sharpest storms I ever met with in my life, I take up my pen to describe the great goodness of the Lord, and his faithfulness towards me. You have most likely heard what I have had to pass through." I had heard all about it. A party in the church adhered to Baring's sentiment, (the denial of the personality of the Holy Ghost,) with some other things equally unscriptural. Mr. Denham (as a man of God) opposed them; and so brought upon himself a fiery persecution, and ultimately left the place. While at Willow Street he added to the church eighty-five members. God opened then another place. All the world seemed up in arms against him; some called him an arminian; some an antinomian; some a universalist; but in the midst of it all God was with him. He laboured at Plymouth until 1823, when he was again removed to Bath-but here he had no continuing city from thence to Birmingham, and then to Margate; and from there to Unicorn Yard, Tooley Street, in 1834; to Cheltenham, to Oxford, to Yeoval, and at last to his sweet home in heaven. Thus, my dear brother, I have furnished you with a brief sketch of the life of a man, as faithful as ever God employed in his vineyard; but what he was, he was by the grace of God. Your's truly in the sweet Lord Jesus, MR. DENHAM AS A PASTOR. The following letter, (written by a friend who knew much of Mr. Denham, in private as well as in public,) contains a faithful portrait of the spirit and character of our departed brother. We have no desire to extol the creature; but while satan, the world, and lifeless professors are doing their utmost to depreciate the sovereign grace of God, it is our desire to exhibit the exceeding blessedness of that grace as it is found in the experience and conversion of the dear elect of God, who, by him are preserved in life, supported in death, and admitted to a glorious inheritance in the better world, Our brother writes as follows: "DEAR PASTOR,-The Lord having taken to himself our beloved brother Denham, I feel that I owe a debt of christian love and respect to his memory; having stood in fellowship for some years with him (part of which time I was called to fill the office of a deacon, and sincerely, before God, can I say, that I ever felt my insufficiency for such an office, and I withstood it as long as I could, but was at length obliged to bow to the will of God by the majority of friends.) From the first time I ever heard that dear servant of Christ down to the last, I ever found him a truly devoted, and a sincerely honest man. I have frequently heard him say his only time of real happiness in this world was preaching Christ to his poor saints; 'Give me bread and cheese three or four times a week, and let me live in a garret, with peace in the church and peace in the conscience (he would say), and I envy not the sovereign on the throne.' At times when we have gone together to large body of people assembled, he would different funerals, and there has been a look to me and say, pointing to the people, Dear souls, if they all knew our Christ, what a happy meeting we should have! but what an opportunity for preaching Christ! Try, my brother, and lift up your heart for the Lord's blessing; nothing is too great for his princely hands to bestow.' I have seen him, when waiting for the coffin, retire off by himself, wrestling with God, and then he would come near again, with tears in his eyes, his countenance verily believe God will bless us; he has brightened up, and he would say, 'I do permitted me to come near in desire and in prayer.' It has been my lot to be in his* company at times when different parties have invited us together, and I can say some of those meetings have been among the choicest seasons I ever had; he was blessed with a peculiar manner of introducing spiritual conversation; give him a Bible, a Hymn Book, and a few spiritual souls, and he was then a truly happy man. But he knew by painful experience opposite feelings to these. I have seen him sometimes in the vestry all in tears, sunk as low in feelings as any of God's servants can be; especially if the Lord seemed to take away his subject of meditation. On such occasions he would say, 'I do not know how those men do it, who can get up a sermon at any time; the Lord knows, have often to wrestle with many tears; and after I sometimes think I have got such a nice chain of precious things for the dear people, the whole of it seems upset; and I have to wait till almost the repeating of the hymn before the Lord seems to appear: still, I must speak it to his praise, these have been among some of my choicest times.' Now, my dear brother, you were saying to me that in some parts of the country where you have been called to preach, some have expressed a surprise at some things which they had heard against this dear servant of Christ, telling you how many souls had been blessed under his ministry, and yet they had been surprised that he left the church at Unicorn Yard in a hurry, and that he was not obliged to do so. My dear brother, these impressions THE LATE MR. D. DENHAM. " Cheltenham, July 28. are altogether without foundation, as the devoted to God and his dear work, that following letter to me will shew:Christ may be glorified in me; whether it be by life, in coming to you again, or by MY DEAR MR. PACKER,-In reply to death, in departing to be with Christ, which your's of yesterday, a reference is made to and indeed it is mine, for I do exceedingly is far-far better. This was Paul's straight, my explaining some matters to my friends; really after what passed between myself long for your soul's profit, and for the conand deacons on my return from Devonport version of sinners to our most gracious I know not what there is to explain; and Christ. The kindness of Lady Smith, and if there was anything I am by no means in fact, all about me, cannot be acknowfit for such an undertaking. I have sought ledged with sufficient gratitude; the atto the uttermost to serve and maintain tendance of two godly physicians has proved the peace of the church, and under my very efficacious through the presence and present circumstances I feel I shall send power of the Great Physician, who healeth in my resignation, which, in the fear of us by his stripes. When my dear wife arGod, I do from necessity; and I hope you rived I was slightly recovering; and you will all do what you can to preserve the may easily conceive how much her presence peace of the cause of Christ, by standing has added to my comfort, from the fretogether. I am (through mercy) much quent attacks of fainting, &c. But as there better than when I left; but I feel these has not been any discharge of blood since church matters are as a worm at the root Lord's Day evening, and my strength is of life, as well as my comfort. Happy, gradually increasing, I hope very soon to happy are they who walk together in rich that you may be kept fast in the unity of be with you. In the mean time pray much christian love and unity. I hope your the faith, abounding in humility and love. dear wife and Mary Ann (with all your O! I intreat you, as having just looked family) are well. Ah, I do indeed grieve, into eternity, strive together for the glory and cannot help it; but the case is life or of God. Let nothing divide you, but may death. Yea, I have no choice, and when I return, in the event of my finally leaving, you all be as the heart of one man in Christ I shall fear to say much upon the subject; from me again very soon. This is my first Jesus. If spared, you may expect to hear yet here is my stay, and it must be your's attempt at writing. O, accept it, as indeed also, "the Lord liveth; and blessed be my it is, an expression of my sincere love to rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted." you all. The Lord send you faithful supplies-bless you and your children for ever. God bless you all; he abideth faithful; and through his grace I remain your's affectionately. D. DENHAM.' The subjoined epistle, written by the deceased to his then church and deacons, doth very fully testify to the genuinenness of his love to Christ, and also to the merciful realization of his heavenly Father's presence when called to pass through floods of deep affliction, "To the dear church and congregation assembling for the worship of our triune God in covenant, at Unicorn Yard, Tooley Street, London : He that loveth is born of God.' O! love one another. Love one another as Christ hath loved us; and given himself a sacrifice and sweet smelling savor unto God; in whose strength and all sufficiency, I remain your faithful and affectionate pastor, "D. DENHAM. Wilford House, near Nottingham, Nov. 18, 1842." [Thus, then, we have gathered up a few fragments connected with the life and death of this eminent servant of Christ. As a proof of the great esteem in which he was held among the churches, we are informed that at nearly, or quite, a dozen chapels in London Funeral Sermons were preached for him on Lord's-day evening, December 17th; also at Cheltenham, Oxford, at Yeovil by Mr. Edwards of South Chard, and at other places. We understand his Funeral Sermon by Mr. Brance is to be published. If spared, we shall look into that, and give our readers some extracts from it next month.] "DEARLY BELOVED-Hallelujah! Hallelujah to God in the highest! O! join with me in loud and lasting praise to him who supported me when his hand was heavy, and death appeared very near by reason of the repeated and alarming discharges of blood, as it is supposed from the rupture of a vessel connected either with the liver or bowels. O! help me-help me, dearly beloved to praise our gracious God, who not only strengthened me at the time and afforded a solemn quietness and resignation of mind either for life or death, but who has since blessed the means for restoration exceedingly; but what is above all, has favoured me with such manifestations of his presence, and foretastes of glory as I never have experienced before. Verily I know the truth of the doctrine I have, through MY DEAR FRIEND -You are expecting to grace, delivered unto you; and I feel afresh hear a little of our late beloved friend and A BRIEF NOTICE OF [We have been favoured with the following |